Chapter 2827: Chapter 2828: Praise Shaya
It was an infant without skin, its bloody body exposed. At this moment, it was hanging upside down, gripping the webbing.
A silk-like bandage was tied around its forehead, and below that was still skinless flesh. Its eyes were bulging black pupils, and the smile at the corners of its mouth stretched to its ears, exposing a pitch-black mouth.
The muscles on its limbs continuously melted and regenerated, with nails that were pitch-black and sharp.
Just looking at the infant spirits alone, it was already quite eerie.
But more eerie was that the skull of this infant spirit had a thorny green vine deeply inserted into it, and the part of the vine exposed outside had a bright red flower blooming.
The red flower swayed in the wind, spurting copious amounts of red liquid from its stamens, which fell to the ground and eventually solidified into red wax.
When people saw the infant spirits and the flower, besides feeling eerie, they also gained some enlightenment.
They had previously speculated whether the webbing and red wax were unrelated to the infant spirits and were instead traps set by Adanis. But now it could be confirmed, it was indeed the infant spirits causing this mischief.
The webbing came from the bandage around the infant spiritâs head.
The red wax was formed by the liquid dripping from that red flower.
This bizarre pairing of the flower and the infant spirits was something they were seeing for the first time. Moreover, from the infant spiritâs strange smile, it was really hard to determine whether the infant spirit was controlling the flower, or the flower was hosting the infant spirit, or perhaps they complemented each other?
"Angel, do you plan to attack them directly?"
When the mist serpent penetrated the final layer of the webbing, Dox expressed his doubts.
Angel didnât answer, because he didnât need to ask; he had already shown the answerâ
He did not attack the infant spirits.
The white mist-formed serpent stopped right in front of the infant spirits. With its head held high, and its eyes emerald green, it gazed down disdainfully at the eerie infant spirits climbing to the web center.
The whole scene looked like the infant spirits were not threatening the mist serpent; rather, the mist serpent was in a dominant position, suppressing the insignificant infant spirits from a divine vantage point.
Of course, this was just everyoneâs imagination. They knew the reality could not be like this.
Since the infant spirits dared to be released by Adanis to block them, even Adanis clearly said, "With it here, you will never reach Qingkong Poetry Room," it indicated the infant spirits were very powerful.
At the very least, one illusion technique could definitely do nothing to the infant spirits.
However, what they didnât quite understand was why Angel manipulated the mist serpent to stand still, staring at the infant spirits.
If Angel let the mist serpent attack, they could all understand, but looking at it now, the mist serpent was just posturing, making no further moves.
Could this be intimidation?
But the infant spirits didnât seem frightened at all...
Stranger still, the infant spirits did not make a move against the mist serpent either, but instead swayed the red flower on its head, as if greeting the mist serpent?
"What are you doing? Are the infant spirits treating your mist serpent as a toy? Are you coaxing a baby?" Dox speculated.
"Trying to communicate," Angel said casually.
"Can it really communicate?" Dox asked in surprise.
Angel: "How would I know if it can communicate?"
Dox: "...Then why say try to communicate?"
Angel, in all seriousness, replied in the mind ribbon: "Trying to communicate, emphasis should be on âtryingâ rather than âcommunicateâ."
Dox retorted irritably, "Ha, you make it sound so mysterious. So, did your attempt have any results?"
Angel: "So far, no. However, it also didnât attack my illusion, so perhaps this is the prelude to communication?"
Dox snorted a few times, completely unbelieving of Angelâs words.
But the Black Earl carefully observed Angel, seeming to discern something from his expression. However, the Black Earl didnât speak, just stood by Angelâs side, watching quietly.
Angel and Doxâs conversation wasnât really deceitful.
He genuinely wanted to see if there could be communication. Itâs just that at present, there seemed to be no effect...No, there was effect, at least the infant spirits and that flower didnât show malice or attack the mist serpent.
It appeared more like they ignored the mist serpent, perhaps because merely using "Nightmare Illusion" to create an illusion couldnât convince them?
Angel had the mist serpent remain in place for several minutes, yet the infant spirits still showed no intention of communicating with the mist serpent.
However, itâs worth noting that the infant spirits hadnât moved, nor had they attacked the mist serpent.
This was quite remarkable because the mist serpent was in a high position, overlooking a lower position, this posture of a high overlooking a low is generally unacceptable to any sentient being capable of resistance.
But the infant spirits didnât mind the serpentâs high stance, even lowering their gaze as if to express submission.
Yet...there was no communication.
Angel hesitated upon seeing this. They couldnât stay there confronting the infant spirits endlessly; eventually, a next step had to be taken.
But should they do that?
Angel pondered for a moment and finally made a decision. He took a deep breath and said in the mind ribbon: "I plan to approach the infant spirits to see the situation."
"Sir, isnât that a bit...rash?" Vay said worriedly.
Dox was quite supportive of Angelâs decision: "The web is broken, we should have attacked long ago. Iâll go with you!"
Angel thought for a moment, considering it might be good for Dox to come along, at least in case of conflict thereâd be a meat shield.
However, just as Angel nodded in agreement, the Black Earl spoke.
"Iâd better go with you, let Dox stay here and take care of the two apprentices," the Black Earl said flatly.
Dox was somewhat dissatisfied: "Why, I want to go too."
Dox hadnât wanted to go before, but seeing the infant spirits did not dare attack the mist serpent, he had ulterior thoughts. That flower on the infant spirits should be a Maneater Flower, which looked pretty good...If he could get it, he would profit greatly.
Black Earl: "The reason is very simple. If you go with Angel, and thereâs a real problem, you might die, and Angel might also die. But if I go with Angel, regardless of whether my avatar dies, Angel will definitely live."
The truth of the situation remained unclear.
Though the mist serpent hadnât been attacked, this did not guarantee that they wouldnât be attacked by the infant spirits if they went forward.
The mist serpent wasnât a living entity, the infant spirits had no reason to attack it specifically. But if they went, there was a high possibility of provoking a reaction from the infant spirits.
Infant Spirits and flowers, regardless of who is the main body, are definitely powerful. Dox can go forward as a meat shield, but he canât guarantee that theyâll all survive.
As for the Black Earl, although he would feel distressed over this avatar, he would unhesitatingly use it in exchange for Angelâs survival.
Not to mention the relationship with Rhein and Sanders, Angel himself has the weight and value that merits such a decision.
The Black Earlâs words were simple and straightforward, and indeed struck a chord with Dox.
If he goes with Angel, they might both die, or both survive. But if the Black Earl goes with Angel, they will definitely survive... even if the Black Earlâs avatar encounters mishaps, it wonât affect the main body.
Thinking so, Dox felt that going with Angel really was fifty-fifty. Although his inspiration did not warn of danger, he couldnât fully trust it. After a moment of serious consideration, Dox recognized the Black Earlâs view.
Dox decided to stay behind to protect the two apprentices.
Only then did the Black Earl turn to Angel: "Letâs go, Iâll accompany you."
Although Angel had decided to check it out, it didnât mean he intended to go immediately. He still needed to transfer the illusion nodes on Earl Mi to the external array disk.
Thus, transforming the Moving Mirage into a fixed Illusionary Realm located here.
By doing so, Earl Mi could accompany them.
Even though the Black Earl explicitly stated he could assure Angelâs survival, Angel still wanted to keep a cautious eye.
Upon securing the Illusionary Realm, Angel exchanged a glance with the Black Earl, nodded, and slowly walked out of the Illusionary Realm.
In the moment of stepping out.
The Black Earl suddenly paused, his nostrils clearly flaring, as if savoring the external scent.
Angel, seeing the Black Earlâs demeanor, knew that the Earl might grow more suspicious next...
Sure enough, seconds later, the Black Earl turned to Angel and, with a meaningful tone, said: "Iâve sensed a familiar aroma in the air."
Previously, enveloped within Angelâs Moving Mirage, the Purifying Field had masked external scents. But now, stepping outside, that aroma quickly invaded his senses.
Though referred to as an aroma, it wasnât a true scent, but more of a feelingâan awareness beyond the five senses.
This awareness was eerily similar to when Angel used his illusion technique.
Thus, causing the Black Earlâs perplexity.
Angel calmly replied, "I too noticed the familiar aroma."
Black Earl: "Then it seems weâre perceiving the same aroma."
Angel smiled and remained silent, choosing instead to lead the way forward.
Angelâs intentions were clear; he had no plans to explain further. Though curious, the Black Earl soon dismissed such thoughts as they entered the red wax region.
They naturally couldnât directly touch the red wax but flew in mid-air.
Yet even from mid-air, the Black Earl sensed the impact of the red wax.
Earlier, Dox mentioned the red wax region seemed to harbor a unique field, affecting the mind somewhat, which led to fluctuating control over the sandworm.
Initially, they didnât pay much heed, as the minute anomalies observed in the red wax area primarily stemmed from the Weaving Net.
But now, upon reaching the red wax region, the Black Earl comprehended the terrifying influence of the red wax.
Or rather, instead of terrifying, it should be termed... horrifying.
The Black Earl was pondering that familiar feeling until entering the red wax region plunged his thoughts into utter chaos.
One moment pondering normal matters, the next transported to grotesque visions of unsettling clowns. Expelling them from his mind, as soon as he resumed his thinking, bizarre pig factories appeared, along with the ringing of agonizing pig slaughter.
In such a state, the Black Earl experienced unusual mental chaos; one moment considering realistic matters, the next his thoughts unraveled into strange fragments.
Though fragmented, he could reluctantly process thoughts, yet bizarre mental images kept flooding in, one after another with grotesque clowns, slaughtered pigs, putrid decay, fading colors, mutations, decapitations... bizarre scenes layering endlessly.
On occasion, the Black Earl felt as though he had lived those scenes, then rethinking, seemingly unrelated. The next moment he believed he had indeed faced such experiences, albeit now presented using "metaphor" and "hyperbole."
Seemingly unrelated threads intertwined subtly.
Such eerie sensations instilled a frightening horror within the Black Earlâthe fear that his memories were being supplanted, that those manic recollections defined true thoughts, where formerly perceived normal pondering was... naive delusion.
Though not unused to mental influences, he had never faced anything so bizarre and elusive.
The Black Earl deeply questioned if staying even a minute might alter him into another "self."
That "self" might then claim to be the true self, viewing past "self" as mere imaginative shadow.
This terrifying cognizance led the Black Earl to feel fear for the first time.
He couldnât help but glance back at Angel, his fragmented thoughts pondering whether to leave the region with Angel.
Angel, likewise, was affected.
However, the images unfurling in Angelâs mind differed from the Black Earlâs; unchanged images surfaced each timeâan endless sea of flowers.
Among the sea, each vibrant bloom bore a wide mouth, incessantly muttering.
Incessantly and overlapping, Angel struggled to comprehend.
After several similar images, Angel focused closely on deciphering, discerning at last the flowers praised insistently: "Praise the moonlight! Praise the Queen! Praise Shava!"
Beyond these familiar praises, they celebrated another entity Angel hadnât heard of: "Praise Shaya!"
Angel recalled hearing praises for beings within the Nightmare Realm in four categories: moonlight, the Queen, Shava, along with various ministers.
Was Shaya a new object of praise?
Who was Shaya?
Angel did not know; Gru Town held no one named Shaya. Perhaps, Shaya was another powerful figure within the Nightmare Realm?
Regardless of Shayaâs identity, Angel felt some irritation at the constant emergence of these praising images.
Though the praised included "Angel," and he felt no mental discomfort, the cacophony was simply unwelcome.
How could he block them?
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